1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to floating vessels for harvesting or cutting aquatic weeds at a level below the surface of the water.
2. Description of Prior Art
It is known to control aquatic weeds in lakes and waterways through the use of chemical herbicides. Such chemical weed control, however, has numerous disadvantages. The killed weeds generally fall to the bottom of the body of water and furnish nutrients to the water to promote further weed growth and considerable growth of algae. Generally the seeds are not killed by the herbicide, and the return growth of weeds is often intensified after chemical treatment. Further, the herbicides are usually toxic or dangerous to fish and other aquatic life. Also, they are very expensive for long term use.
Accordingly, there has been interest in mechanical harvesting aquatic weeds. Known aquatic weed cutters, however, tend to be large, expensive, difficult to maneuver, and they tend to lack flexibility for cutting difficult areas of waterways such as long banks, close to obstacles in the water, or in shallow water. An example of an aquatic weed cutter shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,238,708 to Zickefoose.